My VIPKid journey has been filled with milestones. In fact, we earn different badges to celebrate the big ones. So far, after 1.5 contracts, I’ve earned a few:
- 30/100/180 days as a teacher
- 1st, 10th, 100th, and 500th classes taught
- 1st, 50th, and 100th 5-apple ratings
- 100th student taught
This morning I celebrated my own personal milestone: teaching my first class remotely. One of the most amazing benefits of teaching with VIPKid is the ability to teach from anywhere you have an Internet connection. Up until now, I just haven’t taken advantage of this.
My husband needed to come to New Orleans to renew his passport, so I tagged along for the ride. I actually closed my early morning times so I could sleep in, but I have my normal Monday morning 7am class (Rosie) who books like clockwork several weeks in advance. Today she had a mid-unit assessment scheduled, so we took the show on the road.
It just so happened that this was a very easy lesson for props. What did I bring? One ziplock bag that included:
- My mini-whiteboard and a magnetic marker
- Uno cards
- He/She/It magnets
Because I was teaching a student I was very familiar with, I did not hang a special background. I sat in front of a blank wall with a picture on it. I was in front of a large window that offered plenty of light, plus I dragged a lamp nearby.
The results? An easy, effective class.
If you are thinking of taking your own classroom on the road, here are some suggestions:
- Consider using digital props and rewards. Google Slides is a great option for both, although there are other options available.
- Create a grab bag of versatile props that you can grab and take with you. I would suggest:
- A small, magnetic whiteboard and marker
- Magnetic stars that can attach to the whiteboard
- A small pronoun chart or print outs of pronouns
- Flash Cards (ABC’s, animals, numbers/math, and shapes)
- Key characters (Meg, Mike, Dino, and maybe the level 1 characters if you teach it)
- A simple backdrop (This could be a shower curtain, a blanket, or even a colorful gift bag that could be hung from the wall.)
- Some external, battery powered lighting (just in case.)
- Have fun! Just like with your classroom at home, if you are engaged and enjoying class, your students will too!
I also let Rosie’s mom know in advance I would be on the road so she wasn’t surprised. When I got set up, I sent her a picture of the day’s “classroom” on WeChat. After class, I got the sweet message below from her.
So, even though this isn’t a milestone “officially” with VIPKid, I consider this morning a success.
Have you taught successfully from the road? What’s your go-to list of traveling props? I’d love to hear about them in the comments! If you would like to keep up with my future trips I’ve started a dedicated feed on my instagram. I hope you will check it out!
If you are looking for an opportunity to have a job where you can travel as well, I’d love to help you get started with VIPKid. The first step is to apply. You can get a preview of all of the steps in the process here: VIPKid Application and Interview Process (Updated May 27, 2019). I would be happy to help you through the process. Just let me know!
